£2.1m awarded to bring Leeds’ heritage stories to life

LEEDS 2023 has been awarded just over £2.1m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop creative projects unearthing and showcasing the history and hidden stories of Leeds’s communities and its people.

LEEDS 2023 is one of seven new projects nationally to share £13.7m awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, aimed at supporting nature, communities and cultural recovery post- pandemic.

The grant has been awarded to Leeds Culture Trust, the charitable organisation delivering LEEDS 2023, which made the successful bid to support a range of creative projects central in “Letting Culture Loose” across the city throughout its landmark year of culture in 2023.

This funding of £2,120,130, made possible by National Lottery players, will be used to unearth individual and community-based stories, bringing them to life in original and engaging ways to reach new audiences.

LEEDS 2023 creative director and CEO, Kully Thiarai, said, “this funding is a huge show of confidence in LEEDS 2023. We are getting ready to deliver an exciting and uplifting programme that will delight audiences of all ages and backgrounds, but that will also leave a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy and learn from.

“Heritage is so much more than just buildings, statues or artifacts and we want to celebrate the people and the communities that have helped to shape Leeds into this amazing city.”

David Renwick, director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said, “thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we’re delighted to be supporting this fantastic programme that truly puts people at its heart, and will share the city’s amazing heritage far and wide.

“We know that heritage is a great way of bringing people together and creating a sense of pride of place, and we’re really looking forward to seeing how that all comes together at Leeds 2023.”

Based around 12 signature events and a multitude of creative experiences across the year, LEEDS 2023 promises to be an explosion of colour, noise and live entertainment, reaching across the city and its wider districts.